Just got back from awesome trip to Spain .My misses booked a week on the Costa brava 50 miles north of Barcelona .So i decided to take the Streetfighter instead of flying.
Got off ferry at Bilbao and was heading towards Jaca ,but got really lost in Pamplona ,after an hour ,saw a biker in a petrol station so asked him how to get to Jaca ,he spoke no English i had even less Spanish ,but he got on the phone 10 minutes later another biker turned up ,and said follow us ,so they took me the twistie way all 80 miles of it to Jaca ,how awesome they were ,when we got there they turned back after pointing me to the N260 .
You can tour on a Streetfighter ,blokes on the ferry looked shocked when i told them i was doing 500 miles ,they were all on BMW GS and only doing half my mileage ,my bike was awesome .

Just got back from awesome trip to Spain .My misses booked a week on the Costa brava 50 miles north of Barcelona .So i decided to take the Streetfighter instead of flying.
Got off ferry at Bilbao and was heading towards Jaca ,but got really lost in Pamplona ,after an hour ,saw a biker in a petrol station so asked him how to get to Jaca ,he spoke no English i had even less Spanish ,but he got on the phone 10 minutes later another biker turned up ,and said follow us ,so they took me the twistie way all 80 miles of it to Jaca ,how awesome they were ,when we got there they turned back after pointing me to the N260 .
You can tour on a Streetfighter ,blokes on the ferry looked shocked when i told them i was doing 500 miles ,they were all on BMW GS and only doing half my mileage ,my bike was awesome .

Hammer,
Glad you enjoyed your trip on the Streetfighter. It’s surprising how helpful some people can be to a traveller in their country.

You can tour on just about any bike. It just takes the right attitude to make it work. The Streetfighter is a very capable tourer. I have ridden over 600 miles in a day from Bognor Regis to Aviemore on my SF848. It was more comfortable and quicker than doing the same trip on a Monster 1100 or 1100evo. However IMHO the Ducati Touring Seat (or equivalent) is absolutely necessary.

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Bikers are treated with much more respect in Europe than they are in the UK.

Got lost a few times on trips and people have always been helpful even if we have been unable to speak the same language. They always seem interested in where you are going and where you have been as well, even if they are not bikers themselves.

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Have done Italy and the South of France on a 350LC, admittedly this was some 35+ yeas ago with a holdall in a bin bag strapped to the pillion seat along with a tent (extra wheelie potential). Sat nav was just a James Bond fantasy, precious little in the way of protective kit and on a shoe string budget. Was probably the best tour ever.

Now with hard luggage, GPS, cruise control, bike-to-bike comms, cushy hotel accommodation, music for the autoroute, tyres and brakes that work in the wet, headlights that actually illuminate the road, no end of technologically advanced rider aids, a selection of riding kit and a motorcycle that eats up the miles and handles OK when the going gets twisty... it's all a bit dull... Ed March has the right idea, back to basics... but then I have limited time.

When none bikers hear tales like this they don’t believe you. Its all true, go on your bike and its diferrent people are different with you. Other biker will look out for you. Your never stuck for someone to talk to. The best way to travel by a mile.

Great to hear tales of Ducati,s being used properly . I did have a Ducati comfort seat which is worth every penny great bit of kit ,also put standard pipes on ,Austin pipe just too loud to do big miles on ,a Ducati screen also helped a bit and Kriega US20 fitted everything in .
The Spanish bikers who helped me thanked me at the end ,they just wanted an excuse to go for a ride great lads wouldn,t happen in a car .Even in the resort other riders were intrested in the fact i came from England on a street fighter ,think i ll keep it for a few years .Where to go next year ....cant wait